REVEALED: Civil service farce as 67% of staff have 'no function' and promotions soar
Ministry of Justice, run by Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood makes up the biggest Civil Service department
PA
The UK Civil Service has seen a significant surge in its workforce with some 67 per cent not having clearly defined 'functions', sparking questions about role clarity and the increasing number of senior-level employees.
Striking statistics regarding the makeup of the Civil Service, including an inflated headcount and a rising trend of high-ranking officials has been revealed in a joint investigation by Facts4EU.org and GB News.
In the latest Civil Service Statistics report, updated on August 20th, Civil Service headcount stood at 542,840, marking an increase of 108,570 employees over the past decade.
Notably, 21 per cent of this rise occurred within the last 12 months, with a particular emphasis on full-time staff.
Full-time roles alone have risen by 33.8 per cent since 2014, and the overall headcount—including part-timers — has jumped by 25 per cent.
However, the report uncovered an alarming finding: a large percentage of these employees do not seem to have defined roles or 'functions'.
According to the Civil Service Report 2024, 67 per cent of staff do not work in any identifiable core function - this number makes up around 334,090 people without clearly defined responsibilities.
While the largest declared functions include Digital, Data & Technology (5.6%), Project Delivery (4.8%), and Counter Fraud (3.4%), the vast majority of civil servants remain without a clear functional designation.
Adding to concerns, is the dramatic increase in seniority levels.
Percentage of civil servants working within each function - 67% have no function
Civil Service Statistics Report 2024
The Ministry of Justice currently hires nearly 100,000 people
Civil Service Statistics Report 2024
In 2024, 73.8 per cent of Civil Service employees are now at the Executive Officer grade or higher, compared to just 58.7% a decade ago.
This phenomenon, dubbed "promotion creep," highlights the growing dominance of managerial roles, while junior staff levels have shrunk.
Only 26.2 per cent of employees now hold Administrative Assistant or Administrative Officer roles, a sharp decline from 41.3% in 2014.
With more managers and fewer junior staff, critics argue that the Civil Service is becoming top-heavy, raising concerns over efficiency and resource allocation.
As promotions surge, the Civil Service is left grappling with the challenge of managing an increasingly senior workforce amid questions about its overall functionality.
GB News has approached the Cabinet Office for comment